Echoed Lullabies (Lunar Chronicles x Reader)

Chapter 28

When I first awoke, there was a fuzzy haze that crowded the corners of my head. Remnants of another nightmare clung to the edges of my memory, teasingly slipping away as my lids opened. All that was left was an uncomfortable weight on my chest and a knot in my stomach.

I blinked slowly, trying to clear my thoughts. Grains of sand fell from my lashes.

"...get her up soon."

The words were accompanied by the sound of Thorne's cane shifting around in the sand.

"What's with her, anyways?"

At Cress' question, I went still, and focused to keep my breathing even so that they'd still be under the impression I was asleep.

"What do you mean?" Thorne asked.

"I don't know. I read all her files about her time in the military. She's done so much and she's barely older than me. Before I met her, I didn't think she'd be so..."

"Cold?"

"No!" Cress hesitated. "Well. Maybe a little. But what I mean is...she doesn't really talk much. Which isn't a bad thing, but sometimes I can see the wheels turning in her head. She's always thinking, always has something going on up there but she acts so...distant. It just makes me think there's a little more to her story."

A beat of silence. Then:

"It's not my story to tell. Come on, we need to get going."

I frowned, not sure what to make of their conversation. Sure, I'd been a little quiet lately, but that was only because there was no reason for me to talk. I wasn't acting...distant. Was I?

I took this moment to shift around a bit and let out a fake yawn. Sitting up, I blinked into the blinding sun. Thorne and Cress were both standing, brushing sand from their clothes. I followed suit.

"We're going to start walking again," Cress told me.

"Fine by me."

Cress turned to Thorne and her brow creased. "How are your eyes?"

"Well, I've been told they're dreamy, but I'll let you decide for yourself."

"I couldn't disagree," Cress murmured after a moment.

I just shook my head and started packing up camp. The temperature was already climbing. Before closing up the pack, I shook out the sheets and tied one around myself to make a hooded cloak that came over my brow. Thorne and Cress did the same.

"This will help for a little while, at least," Thorne said, brushing his foot along the ground until he found the metal bar he'd been using as a cane.

Cress fidgeted with the cumbersome sheet while trying to guide Thorne up the slope we'd camped on. Her movements were jerky, forced.

We hadn't traversed four dunes before Cress stumbled, landing on her knees. Thorne dug his heels into the ground for purchase. "Cress?"

"I'm fine," she said, pulling herself up and rubbing the sand from her shins. "Just a little drained. I'm not used to all this exercise."

Thorne's hands were hanging in midair, like he'd meant to help pull her to her feet, but she noticed it too late. Slowly, they sank to his sides.

"Can you keep going?" I asked her.

"Yes. I just need to get into a rhythm again."

"We'll walk until it gets too hot, then rest," Thorne said. "We don't want to exert ourselves too much, especially under full sun."

We started down the dune again. The heat only worsened. At least the sheets kept the merciless sun from scorching us, and I was grateful for the dampness of my own sweat keeping me cool.